- Team Great Britain lead the team event standings heading into the final discipline.
- But the difference would be significantly greater if it weren’t for a 15-point penalty.
- The controversial ruling could mean that Britain will miss out on its first gold in Paris
A controversial decision could see the British team lose its first gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
Great Britain’s eventing team goes into Monday’s show jumping final with a slim lead over second-placed France, having had strong results in both dressage and cross-country so far in Paris.
But the margin is very narrow heading into the final discipline, with Team GB, represented by world number one Ros Canter, Tom McEwen and Laura Collett, leading the way on 82.5 and France just behind on 87.2 in the standings.
Team GB’s chances of gold would have been significantly enhanced were it not for the penalty Ros Canter received in the cross country for failing to see the flag in the narrow 21D zone.
In eventing, penalties apply for failing to pass through a gate if a flag is knocked down. Although her gelding Lordships Graffalo managed to successfully pass through the gate, Canter inadvertently brushed the flag with his knee, knocking it down and receiving a 15-point penalty as a result.
A controversial decision could see the British team lose its first Olympic gold medal
Ros Canter was given a penalty after jumping a gate in the cross country event, but the British team appealed to claim the jump was legal because she, not Lordships Graffalo, knocked down the flag.
Canter waves to the crowd at Lordships Graffalo after competing in dressage on Saturday.
Team GB lodged an appeal after the phase to claim that because Canter herself brushed the flag and Lordships Graffalo successfully cleared the gate without touching it, the jump was legal.
Olympic organisers have rejected the appeal, insisting there is not enough conclusive evidence to prove the British team’s claim.
This could result in Team GB being denied their first gold medal of the 2024 Olympics, with the third phase due to begin at 10am UK time on Monday.
After the cross country, Canter said: ‘I touched a flag coming out of the triple brushes in the woods, but I would never have guessed that I didn’t jump the jump; I didn’t come back and I thought I had done more than just come back safely within the time.’
Fans took to social media to lament the rejected appeal, claiming Canter and Team GB should feel “aggrieved” at the cross country event.
One disappointed fan said: “Why did they give Ros Canter a penalty when you can clearly see the horse jump the fence and his knee hit the flag…? I’m disgusted!!!”
World number one Canter joins Tom McEwen (left) and Laura Collett (right) in the team eventing event
Another said: “If this is the front view of Ros Canter doing the jump that got her penalty, how on earth did the judges decide she didn’t clear it? Because to me that looks pretty perfect… I think Ros can feel pretty aggrieved, honestly.”
A third added: “I’m so frustrated by this whole Ros Canter 15 penalty thing! Several photographs have emerged where she is clearly seen jumping the jump correctly, within the flags, there are even amateur videos taken from the front showing it. FEI rule 5 below states that they should rule in favour of the competitors, and they haven’t!”
